Heart's Songs
by Jade Hunter
Summary: SenshiGenerals How it started, how it developed, and how it was doomed to end.COMPLETE
1. Opening Scene

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Title: Heart's Songs - Opening Scene

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Author: Jade Hunter

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Disclaimer: None of the characters or songs I use in this series belongs to me. The translations of the Sailor Moon manga songs are not mine, I just got them off a site.

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A.N: This is a short series of songfics that I use to describe the infamous Senshi/General romance. This series has both an opening scene and a closing scene.

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The screen shows a shot of the Earth and the Moon, both shining with an inner light. The camera zooms in, and we see a bright flash of light head from the Earth to the Moon. The camera pans in and angles so that we are in front of the light, and can see where the light is going to go. After a few moments of seeing wild life, we see the large and silvery structure of the Moon Kingdom's Palace.

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Shaded by the sunlight

In my heart you are here

Even without saying you love me

You are here in my heart

Fade in to a bright room, where many people are milling about excitedly. Most are scientists, but six forms stand out. Queen Serenity and Princess Serenity are there, facing a large platform, identically polite smiles pasted on their faces, and the Princess squirms a bit, unable to control her emotions as well as her mother. The Inner Senshi are also present, but they look a bit uncomfortable and wary of the situation. A bright light, the aforementioned bright light, shines from the platform, and the Inners visibly stiffen as the light fades and we manage to make out five silhouettes.

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Say, thanks for your bravery

Look, the newly born powers

Covering everything, shining brightly

Flash to a large hallway, where we see the Queen and her large entourage walk away from Princess Serenity and her Senshi, and Prince Endymion and his Generals. The two groups of four guardians exchange hesitant glances as they shift from foot to foot, unsure of what to do next. The Princess effectively solves that problem by shrugging and latching onto Prince Endymion's arm, dragging him away for a few hours of privacy.

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Even more than the spacious sky and the sea

My dreams have no limits

I have realized that because I am in love

Venus blinks at her charge, and then takes the hint. She smiles carefreely, and looks up at the tall, silver-haired General next to her. Kunzite's stern face softens considerably, and he proffers his elbow, which she takes. They obviously know each other from the way they are so comfortable together as they walk off, a striking sight.

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In the stream of destiny

I want to swim together with you

Whatever happens to us

I'll be sure not to give up

The camera pans away from the two leaders, and zooms in to show a tall, blonde-haired General's slightly surprised face. Jadeite turns to Mars, and says something to her, to which she smiles slightly, and nods, much to his delight. The two then proceed to leave the rest of their comrades behind as they get absorbed in their conversation.

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Say, I'm glad we met each other

That warm atmosphere around us

The days of being hurt are melting away

The screen then shows a speculative look in Jupiter's eyes as she turns to the brown-haired General Nephrite, asking him something. The question obviously surprises him, and then he smiles slightly, agreeing from the way Jupiter's smile turns triumphant. They too leave to go off on their own.

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I love you so much that I could die

Drifting in the wind the seed

Will sprout like your smiling face

The hallway is now empty, except for the strawberry blonde-haired General and Mercury. The screen zooms in as she bites her lip, an inner struggle evident on her eyes. She seems to come to a decision, and she turns on her heel to face Zoicite with a small smile.

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Where there is no sound in the corners of space

Everybody is alone

When at least our feelings of love meet

I can go on to tomorrow

The screen is overtaken by a flash of silver, and then splits into four different scenes. The top-left one shows Venus and Kunzite, laughing and talking as they walk aimlessly through the halls of the Moon Palace. The top-right shows Mars and Jadeite as they have an animated discussion in what looks to be a lounge, or a den. The bottom-left shows Jupiter and Nephrite as they circle each other, exchanging blows every now and then. The bottom-right screen shows Mercury and Zoicite, sitting across from each other in the library, reading books and sneaking glances at each other.

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The throbbing building up warmly

Eternally who ever's heart it is in

It will resound loudly, the magical melody

Fade in to Princess Serenity, walking amidst some flowers the gardens with Prince Endymion, both of them with knowing smiles on their faces. The scene then shifts, showing Queen Serenity as she sits on her throne regally. Her eyes close as she smiles, and the camera zooms in, filling the screen with the silver strands of the Queen's hair.

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Even more than the blue sky and the sea

I will chase after my dreams with love

Your deep eyes told me to do that

The camera pans down, away from the silver, and the screen shows a large lake, sparkling from the light of the moon. On this serene scene, as if a hand is actually writing, a message appears in loopy, gold handwriting:

Heart's Songs *Opening Scene* "Eternal Melody"

Tiny block letters form at the corner of the large message:

Hello! Welcome! I hope you enjoy this!

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~~~~~Jade Hunter~~~~~


	2. Minako's Song

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Title: Heart's Songs - Minako's Song

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Author: Jade Hunter

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Disclaimer: The song and the characters do not belong to me.

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Senshi Venus' unusual frown deepened as she searched for the Princess all over the castle. Her orange heels clicked on the marble floor as she rapidly increased her pace, gaining an insight as to where her wayward charge might be. She made her way to the Teleportation Room and immediately began to hack into the system. She certainly wasn't the best at hacking, but one did not have the intelligent Senshi Mercury as a close friend and not learn a few tricks.

"Ah hah!" she crowed as she found the coordinates of the last teleport.

She was sure it was no coincidence that the coordinates happened to be at the fringes of the forest close to the castle where the Prince of Earth, Endymion, lived. She quickly set the coordinates for the teleport, and stepped into the portal that formed.

It took a her moment for her body to adjust itself to the denser gravity of the blue planet, and then she was off. Using all the skills that she had learned as leader of the Senshi, Venus tracked Serenity to a clearing. Her usual easy-going attitude fairly melted away as she witnessed her innocent Princess snuggled in the arms of the dark and handsome Prince. Rumors of the Prince and his many affairs floated through her mind, helping her push down the feelings that welled up when she sensed the love spread out like a warm, pulsing wave from the two.

"Princess! Did you come here again? Come on, we are going home," she scolded, taking a firm but gentle hold of her liege.

*****

"It must be tough having a princess so full of curiosity," Kunzite couldn't help but say.

Kunzite had known about the continued meetings of the Prince and the Lunarian who had stolen his heart. Being the leader of the Guardians, he insisted on accompanying his Prince on these journeys, even as he continued to discourage Endymion when they had a moment's peace. He was extremely worried about the rumors of the Dark Queen Metallia's escape from the Void. If that was true, then the Prince needed more guarding than ever. And since the Prince would not be swayed into staying away from the Princess Serenity, he had no choice but to follow.

He had been wondering if the Princess Serenity's guardians, the legendary Sailor Senshi, were adequate enough for their job if their Princess managed to evade them so easily when the blonde woman dressed in an extremely short skirt charged out of the bush and took hold of the aforementioned Princess. He couldn't help smiling slightly as he witnessed the petite woman scold her Princess for running off to Earth. 

Her toned physique, easily seen and admired because of her revealing attire, and the graceful way she moved was proof that she was indeed one of the legendary Senshi, gifted with powerful Magic. She didn't seem inadequate at all. He had made sure to move the couple carefully away from the point where Princess Serenity had landed, as to lose dangerous people. If this Senshi had managed to track the Princess from there, despite all his attempts to erase the tracks, then she was worthy of her reputation. 

He wondered what it would be like to face her in battle.

Those thoughts promptly fled and were replaced by more appealing ones as she blushed prettily and teleported away with the sullen Princess Serenity in a flash of golden light.

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Open that door

The time remaining

Is being drawn away

Lift up your eyes

Stare straight ahead

Give me one last kiss

And walk away

"We shouldn't do this," Venus whispered as she and Kunzite met in a fierce embrace. "Especially now when the threat of the Dark Queen is so real and the peace between our kingdoms so strained."

"The marriage of your Princess to our Prince will change that, and then the combined forces of the Earth and Moon Kingdom can surely defeat the Dark Queen," Kunzite assured her, and then stole a gentle kiss.

"But no one but the Queen, the Princess, the Prince, your Generals and my Senshi know of the impending union. This is treason in the eyes of the people," Venus protested as he came in for another butterfly kiss.

Kunzite pulled back slightly and gazed into her eyes, "Then tell me to walk away."

"I can't," she breathed out as tears welled up. "I can't."

Their eyes met again, and their lips soon after. In their minds, there were no threats of war, no Dark Queen. In their minds, there was only each other, and the love they shared.

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Truly

So much

That the wind is biting

My spirit is restrained

Our paths divide apart, I know

It's destiny, the stars have decided

The one that you chose

The white route

The future looms ahead

Don't lose your way

Kunzite glared as best as he could in his beaten state at the red-haired witch that imprisoned him and his fellow Generals. They, too, were glowering at the witch. If he wasn't mistaken, it was Lady Beryl, one of the many whom had been enamored with his Prince. Unlike the other women who had thrown hysterics or sought more welcoming company, it seemed that she had turned to the Dark Queen.

"What do you want with us?" he asked in a dangerous tone.

Beryl merely laughed, ignoring the warning in his voice, "I want you to become the Generals."

Nephrite growled, "What are you getting at, witch?"

Slapping the auburn-haired General in the face, Beryl answered smugly, "I want you to become **_my_** Generals."

Her expression turned to one of complete rage as Jadeite began to laugh. She backhanded the blond General, and glared at them.

"I am Beryl, Queen of the Negaverse, and you will show me proper respect," she hissed.

"Yeah, as much as you deserve, you ugly toad," Zoicite, ever the sarcastic wit, snorted, disgust plain in his voice and manner.

Shrieking in uncontrollable rage, Beryl shot a wave of Dark energy at them, making them writhe in pain.

"You **_will_** become my Generals, willingly or unwillingly!" she declared, and blasted them with more Dark energy.

Kunzite's eyes widened in horror as the energy began to seep into his skin. He could feel the Darkness penetrating his own Magic, and begin to infect his blood. The pain was overwhelming, and as he fell into unconsciousness, he made a silent vow.

_*I will never forget you Minako.*_

_The sea spreads out wide_

The wind comes blowing this way

It may be a little cold

But start running forth

Do not forget

About yourself

The one I love the most

Even though it's hard

From here I look out

And see the desert daybreak

Kunzite, leader of the Dark Kingdom Generals, laughed as he saw his army battle with the Lunarian army. Cries of pain came from allies and enemies alike, but he paid both no mind, searching for a worthy opponent.

"Looking for me?"

It was Senshi Venus, if the profiles his minions had gathered on the Senshi were correct, the so-called leader of the Senshi who protected the Princess. She stepped out from behind a cluster of warring soldiers, face hard, eyes cold, wary, and calculating. His eyes fell on her slim form, and he found a smile tugging at the corner of his lips for unknown reasons. He changed it into a smirk, and cockily gestured for her to make the first move.

"I was looking for a worthy opponent," he said, sneering. "I suppose I will have to settle for you."

Her deep blue eyes narrowed in anger, and her stance changed slightly, from defensive to offensive. He smirked again as he braced himself for her attack. It was almost too fast for him to see, her Crescent Beam attack, if she hadn't had to call out the name, he wouldn't have had even that one precious moment to realize what was happening. However, she had called out, and he had that one moment to dodge to the side, rolling back up to his feet. The one hint almost hadn't been enough; the attack was swift and deadly, the nick on his right arm was bleeding proof.

"Maybe I should be the one to say that," she mocked as her eyes took in his wound.

He noted that she didn't seem hateful towards him, not in reality. It was a mask, but for what? She was his enemy, as he was hers, there was no more emotions to be felt other than hate. Snorting mentally at his hesitation, he materialized his Dark Sword and lunged, his mind focused on one thing. Defeating this abnormally bold and brash challenger and conquering the pathetic Moon Kingdom.

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Open that window

The time of yours

Is beginning now

Close the lids of your eyes

I wanted to have

One last kiss at night

Remember it

She had tamped down her emotions, and was depending on her Senshi side to pull her through his battle. Her Wink Chain Sword clashed with his, sending sparks flying from the sheer power in the two opposite swords.

"You won't win," she snapped as she parried his blow to her side.

He smirked in the most condescending manner she had ever seen and replied, "Oh? The only way I'll fail is if you kill me."

_//Kunzite pulled back slightly and gazed into her eyes, "Then tell me to walk away."_

"I can't," she breathed out as tears welled up. "I can't."

Their eyes met again, and their lips soon after. In their minds, there were no threats of war, no Dark Queen. In their minds, there was only each other, and the love they shared.\\

The memory was unexpected, but it showed her what she needed to do. If only she had ordered him to walk away, then this wouldn't hurt her so much now. His betrayal wouldn't cut so deep a wound. She was not one to repeat her mistakes. She learned from what few she made, and eventually became better for it.

"I will take you up on that invitation," she hissed at him. "I don't make the same mistake twice."

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Truly

So much

That the sky crumbles down

I am crying in my heart

Our paths are separate from each other

It's destiny, the stars have decided

The one that I chose

The blue route

The future looms ahead

Don't forget about it

The tears she had been repressing all through their fierce battle were now leaking out. She took labored breaths as she tried not to let the sobs jar her body.

Staring up into space, she whispered, "I'm sorry Princess."

It had been a mistake to let the meetings continue. It had been a mistake to let it start in the first place. If she could go back...

A hiss of pain interrupted her thoughts. Her watery eyes turned to her opponent, who was in the same state she was. Minus the tears. No, she could not expect a Dark Kingdom General to cry.

He saw her, and began to laugh, as painful as it was, "Tears? Pathetic."

She continued to gaze at him, sadly, until he stopped laughing and stared at her in a confused way.

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The morning is beginning

People are starting to move

It may be a little scary

But start walking forth

The Earth was rising, always a beautiful sight with the swirls of the clouds and the waves, but now that it was to be her last Earthrise, she felt a pang of nostalgia.

Her companion, in life and now in death, turned his lavender eyes to follow her gaze. She could hear his audible gasp, and mentally smiled. Being Earthling, he had never seen an Earthrise. Although it was amazing that this was the Dark General who was gaping at the rising of Earth, it was also very comforting to her dying spirit.

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Do not forget

About me

The one I love the most

Even though it hurts

From here I look out

And see the desert daybreak

She tried to smile at him, but she was too tired. Spots were appearing at the corners of her vision, and her senses were dulling.

It wouldn't be long now, and she had one last thing to say.

"I forgive you," she whispered.

She was rewarded with a widening of his eyes. Small though it was, it was enough for her, and she let her soul be taken by Queen Serenity, to be sent to the future.

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The sea spreads out wide

The wind comes blowing this way

It may be a little cold

But start running forth

Do not forget

About yourself

The one I love the most

Even though it's hard

From here I look out

And see the desert daybreak

Dark Kingdom General Kunzite frowned as he stared intently into space in his quarters. His Generals were now all dead, and he was left to avenge them. 

By killing the Senshi. 

His frown deepened as something tugged at the back of his mind at the thought of the irritating yet powerful warriors of Light.

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//*I'll never forget you Minako.*\\

He blinked in shock, but the faint memory was quickly pushed aside as he felt Queen Beryl calling him. He rose, and swept out of his chambers, heading down a dark hallway. However, even as he walked up to the throne room, he felt a sort of discontentment, and felt that he was doing something wrong.

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//"I forgive you."\\

The voice was not like the last, but it lasted longer, and it lightened his spirits.

And somewhere deep inside, a seal was cracking as the repressed memories pushed to surface.

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~~~~~Jade Hunter~~~~~

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A.N: The song in this fic is a translation of 'Route Venus', the image song of Minako.


	3. Rei's Song

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Title: Heart's Songs - Rei's Song

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Author: Jade Hunter

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Disclaimer: The concepts from SM, the characters, and this song do not belong to me.

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The Senshi of Mars, patron of War, the firebrand of the Senshi, thinned her lips slightly as she gazed coolly at the five kneeling Earthlings. Queen Serenity was welcoming them, and next to her Highness was the Princess Serenity, a slightly more enthusiastic smile pasted on her face. Next to the Princess and to Mars' direct right was Senshi Venus, the leader, then to her left was the Senshi of thunder and lightning, Jupiter, and after Jupiter was Senshi Mercury, the wielder of fog and ice.

Mars fought to keep the disapproving frown from her face. After all, protocol was protocol. It was no secret to the Senshi of the newly revealed love Serenity held for the Earth Prince, Endymion. They all held mixed reactions to it. She herself didn't like the idea at all, rumors of the Earthlings' barbarous nature were well circulated in the Moon Kingdom, and although the five men looked civil enough, she was still on guard.

All rumors had a grain of truth in them, after all.

What bothered her the most about all of this was not Serenity, but Venus. As the leader, Venus was expected to set an example, but it was also no secret that the stern leader had fallen for First General Kunzite, a most disturbing fact in Mars' point of view.

_*What sort of allure do these Earth men hold for one of them to snag the patron of Love herself?*_ she wondered.

The endless sky blue eyes of Second General Jadeite suddenly caught her intense purple gaze, and she began to learn the answer to her silent question.

*****

He noticed her from the moment he had walked in, a few steps behind Kunzite. Her long purple hair, a unique color never before seen on Earth, caught his attention, and she kept it there. Her expression was bordering on a frown, the corners of her mouth fighting to stay neutral. He assumed that her frown was for the liaison between Endymion and their Princess. Or maybe the one between Kunzite and her leader Venus.

Perhaps it was both, for it certainly bothered him. His Prince deserved to be happy, as did the Lunarian Princess, he was sure, but in their love, they were forgetting their duties to their respective people and kingdoms. As for Kunzite, the man certainly needed to loosen up a little and work less, and the Senshi Venus was rumored to be a good warrior who knew how to have fun, so perhaps she could help him, but in the end, it all came back down to duty. Senshi Venus had a duty to not only her planet, but to her Princess as well. And Kunzite has his duty to his kingdom and to Endymion. It had been drilled into all of them from the beginning that nothing was more important than duty, and he wondered if they had forgotten.

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*What sort of women does the Moon Kingdom breed for them to make strong willed men loose their resolve towards duty?* he asked himself.

Then, his eyes met a luminous pair of purple eyes that shone with knowledge and pride, and he knew.

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In love, extremes are all right

I don't want any sweet words

Before drowning in dreams

Light up your eyes, and go mad love

"This is wrong."

He tightened his hold on her waist and turned his eyes away from the horizon and to the woman he loved. It wasn't a time where he should be dallying with her like this, he knew, it was a time near war with the Dark Queen Metallia, where he should have been checking the weapons, the troops, the land...but he could not tear himself away from this firebird of his.

"What is?" he asked her, knowing what she was talking about but wanting to ignore it.

She looked up at him, and he marveled for the millionth time the love for him he saw in those purple depths. Her eyes had always amazed him, always filled with the knowledge she received from her psychic powers. 

"Us, being here. I should be preparing for the upcoming war. So should you."

"Yes, I should, " he nodded, and the planted a light kiss on her forehead. "But you cannot say that this is wrong. How can being in love be wrong? How can we not be together?"

"Questions I ask myself everyday, love," she sighed, and tucked her head under his chin.

He captured one of her slender hands in his and asked, "Do you ever find the answers?"

She smiled, something that had been a rarity before he had come along, "No. And I'm glad for it."

"So am I, Firebird, so am I," he smiled back, and they shared a deep kiss.

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The scars of the past hurt

When time passes, they'll disappear

Live without telling lies

Break your body, and go for break

"It's time for me to go," he said to her, her hands held in his.

What had always been calmly accepted was now strangely filling her with distress. Something in her screamed at the thought of parting with him to go their separate ways; he to Elysion, and she to the Moon. She didn't want to be separated with him tonight, and something in her fancied running off somewhere and hiding together...even as a larger part reminded her of her duties, of the Dark Army that had taken Uranus, Neptune and just recently Jupiter, passing over both Pluto and Saturn with no sign of hostility.

"What's wrong firebird?" he asked her, sensing her distress.

She threw herself into the warmth of his embrace and sighed, "I have this feeling. That we'll never be together again. Like this is our last time."

He pulled back slightly, and tilted up her face to meet his gaze, "Firebird, I promise you, no matter what happens, I'll always love you."

"And I you," she answered, her eyes still filled with sorrow and fear. "Please be careful Jadeite."

"I will," he promised, and with one last kiss, he was gone.

She stood for a minute, staring at the spot he was just a minute ago, and slumped down. Ultimately, it had been an image of Serenity, innocent and bright, which had stopped her from mentioning her desire to leave behind the war. Sobs wracked her frame for reasons she didn't know...and emptiness filled her as she bid farewell to her love, for what felt like the last time they would part in such amiability, the last time they would share a kiss.

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The city is a broken necklace

I won't give in to loneliness

Throw off the decorated clothes

Gracefully, fighting pose to you

Her stomach clenched in anger as she saw the legions of men and monster alike, some allied to the Dark Queen and the traitorous witch Beryl, and some fighting for the peace of the Moon Kingdom. She felt every fiber of herself reach out to the battlefield; her blood pumped solely for the thrill of war. Although the peace had been a blissful time, she could not deny that her passions lay in the art of war, could not deny the fury in her that called for her to take up arms and fight.

She was truly the patron of War.

Denying her instincts was not an option, instead, she accepted it, and charged out into the battles. Those of the Dark Queen's troops that were human had strong ofuda slapped on them, to remove the taint of evil. Those that were monsters were burned painfully by her attacks. She did not hesitate to initiate hand-to-hand combat, and although she was not the best of the Senshi, she was no slouch, and went for the blows that were meant to cripple, and sometimes even to kill humans if the ofuda failed to work.

A flash of gray uniform informed her that it was a human who was making his way to her from the side, a Dark Queen human. From the little bits of color on his shoulders, one of the famed Generals.

Her heart felt cold as she realized this. A day ago, which was only a few hours before, she had received an important vision, one that had filled her with more sorrow and heartbreak than she had ever imagined. She had seen, through her link with the Sacred Fire, the four Earth Generals turned by forceful means to work for the Dark Queen. The thought that they had gone down fighting was a comfort, however small.

Dispatching the monster she was fighting, she whirled around, just in time to dodge the vicious punch he sent her way. His physical appearance was the same as before, making her heart ache, but her spiritual senses were honed more than enough to 'see' the dark and evil aura that tainted his soul.

"You would be the Senshi Mars," he smirked, handsome as always. "The firebrand of the group."

The War in her called for her to push back her emotions and smite the evil servant of Metallia. As much as it hurt her to do so, she listened, and pulled down a mental block.

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Fire soul bird in love

Fire soul bird in love

Stand up tall! Oh oh oh

Fire soul bird in love

Fire soul bird in love

Seek after tomorrow! I love passion

"How did things end up this way?" she asked the stars in the sky.

The blood - her blood - was pooling underneath her now, thick, and warm, it leaked out faster than she had ever thought it would. Her breathing was uneven, but that was natural when she was dying. Her long purple hair, once soft and silky, was now matted with the blood, turning darker and darker as the blood dried. Her once fathomless eyes, eyes that saw what happened at the far ends of the galaxy, were now dull with exhaustion and pain.

Jadeite, equally wounded and equally dying, lay only a few feet away from her. His blonde hair, the hair she used to run her fingers through, if only to try and tame the somewhat wild curls, hung limp now, sweat and blood mixing. And his eyes, the eyes that had first captured her interest and then her heart, had lost the initial deadly gleam. Now, there was only regret. Not regret for his actions, for she could still see the dark aura - fading with his death, but still there - but possibly regret that he would not live.

"You were an oppressive people," he must have thought she had directed her question at him. "You hated us because we were not of your Silver Alliance."

It was almost as if he were reciting a boring poem, the tone of his voice was so flat.

"We were a peaceful people," she spat back, blinking back tears. "We did our best to protect you. We watched over you, and loved you...**_I _**loved you."

His eyes held confusion, "Love?"

She smiled bitterly, "Yes, love. I loved you, as you once loved me."

"What happened?" he asked almost childishly, honestly having no clue what love was.

She hated and pitied him, but thought that perhaps he was the lucky one in the situation, "You betrayed your Prince, you betrayed your kingdom, you betrayed me. You broke your vows to your liege, and you broke my heart."

His eyes widened in genuine shock, and he asked, "Why would I do that?"

She realized then, that this was not Second General Jadeite of the Earth, nor was it Dark General Jadeite of the Negaverse. This was the man in between. This man was not a General; this man was not good or evil. He simply **_was_**, in the delicate state between life and death. She supposed that this was a side effect of the Dark Queen's thrall.

"I don't know," she told him, and then turned her head away. "But I will never forget this."

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In love, I want excitement

Forget things like simplicity

I will catch dreams in my hand

Make your spirit boil, and go mad love

She cried without tears for her lost innocence, for her lost pride, for her lost love.

"Kaidou-san," she whispered.

An image of him appeared in the Sacred Fire, and she gave a small start. He seemed different to her now, slightly more human, more imperfect...more male. She saw, finally, what he really was. 

He was a man. 

After her father, she had vowed not to trust any men, only her grandfather. But in a span of a few minutes, the light-haired man had gotten her to not only trust him, but to like him as well. Love came later, after a while, when she had found him kindred.

But he wasn't a real kindred spirit; he had never had his mother leave him alone, he had never had his father abandon him, he had never felt the pain she had. 

Then what had made her feel so trusting towards him? Why had she loved him? Why had she even liked him?

The Fire felt her distress, heard her questions, and provided an answer. It flared up, and for one brief moment, she saw another, similar face. The man in the fire had light hair, just like Kaidou-san, but a darker, more sun-kissed shade of blond. And he had kind eyes as well, just like Kaidou-san, but a sparkling endless blue. And with the image, for a brief moment in time before her grandfather called her outside, came a name.

"Jadeite..."

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On the street, a dropped earring

I won't pick it up miserably

Throw off the red high heels

Foolishly, fighting pose to you

She ran outside, her heart pounding as she tried to stop the 'haunted' bus. In the fire, just moments before, she had seen the face of a man...a familiar man. Something in her had jumped at the sight of his handsome face in her Fire, but right after that, she had seen him attack Usagi-chan.

The bus slowed, and the doors opened.

She looked at the driver's seat, and there he was, the man from the Fire. Suddenly, she recalled a time when she was younger, more naive, a time she had fallen for Kaidou-san. The time after that, the brief image she received of this man...

...and a name.

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Fire soul bird in love

Fire soul bird in love

Start running! Oh oh oh

Fire soul bird in love

Fire soul bird in love

Seek after happiness! I love passion

He didn't understand the effect she had on him, even when knocked out by his sleeping spell. She was extremely pretty and attractive in an exotic way, this girl, with her long, silky, purple hair. He had caught a glimpse of her purple eyes, filled with wisdom and understanding, as she stumbled onto the bus and promptly fell asleep. He dimly remembered seeing her for only a moment before, but it had been enough to pique his interest.

"So beautiful," he murmured. "I've wanted her since I first saw her...this girl."

He reached down and lightly brushed her smooth cheek with his fingertips. Suddenly, something in him clicked, and he saw her in a different light.

He remembered touching her cheek like that before, except she wasn't unconscious. He remembered the feel of her long hair, how soft they were and how proud she was of the lustrous mane. He didn't know why, or how, but he vaguely remembered her laugh, tinkling and melodious; he recalled the way she had looked at him, so full of love and trust, and how he had marveled at that.

_//He pulled back slightly, and tilted up her face to meet his gaze, "Firebird, I promise you, no matter what happens, I'll always love you."_

"And I you," she answered, her eyes still filled with sorrow. "Please be careful Jadeite."\\

"Firebird...?" he whispered hesitantly, questioningly.

__

Fire soul bird in love

Fire soul bird in love

Stand up tall! Oh oh oh

Fire soul bird in love

Fire soul bird in love

Seek after tomorrow! I love passion

She couldn't sleep.

For an hour, she had tossed and turned, knowing that she had to sleep if she wanted to get up at 4:00 in the morning as she always did. But it was impossible, because a part of her heart, long buried, kept tugging, persistently and increasingly as the events of the day played over and over in her mind.

The mysterious bus, the kidnapping, the missing people, becoming Sailor Mars, and more importantly, the man. 

Jadeite, a Dark Kingdom General. 

Or was it Second General Jadeite? 

Her mind was confused. She clearly recalled the way his aura glowed, dark, swirling with evil. But she also remembered, vaguely and yet more persistently, the way his eyes had shone with wonder and love as he looked at her. The way he laughed, deep and rich. The way he held her, encircling her in warmth and protection. The way he had kissed her forehead lightly; remembered the gentle way he had played with her hair; felt again the incredible feeling she always got when he kissed her, warmly, deeply, and lovingly.

The way she had loved him, and trusted him.

And there were more, images of a man who was not the dark man from today, nor the light man from before. Instead, there was a confused man, who had needed to know what love was, who had asked so innocently why he had betrayed her, who had wondered what had happened to love.

To **_their_** love.

And she remembered what she had told him.

"I did forget. If only for a while. It is true that I can never completely forget, Jadeite," she said aloud. 

Her eyes glimmered slightly with unshed tears as she smiled.

"But I know I can forgive, because I already have."

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A.N: The song in this fanfic is a translation of 'Fire Soul Love', the actual image song of Rei.


	4. Makoto's Song

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Title: Heart's Songs - Makoto's Song

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Author: Jade Hunter

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Disclaimer: None of the characters in this story belong to me. The song is not mine either.

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She kept her eyes trained on her opponent as they slowly circled the mat, each wanting to test out the other's skill. She had heard from rumors that he, Third General Nephrite, was one of the best fighters in non-weapon combat. She had challenged him to a friendly match on their tour of the Moon Kingdom, and much to her delight, he had accepted. Of course, she didn't challenge him just because of the fact that she wanted to see if the rumors were true, she also wanted to be the one to win, to prove to the visiting five Earthlings that the Senshi were no pushovers.

It didn't hurt that this General Nephrite was one of the more handsome men she had ever seen, and taller than her as well, which was a delightful rarity.

__

Kiss the starlight, 

kiss the moonlight

Kiss the starlight, 

kiss the moonlight

They had been sparring for well over half an hour, and neither could get an edge over each other. It impressed him greatly, as did Princess Jupiter's skills in hand-to-hand combat. She was just as strong and as fierce as the rumor mill had made her out to be, and also very compassionate and caring, something he hadn't expected from a warrior or princess alike.

The stars had told him, on his way to the Moon, that all of the Planetary Princesses were absolute paradoxes, walking contradictions. On one hand, they had said, the Princesses were royalty to the bone. However, they had also told him that they were experienced warriors, able to match the Generals at every turn if they so chose. He had seen, after the first few minutes, that the first fact was more than true, but the second fact seemed a little out there. It wasn't until Princess Jupiter had asked him for a friendly match that he had begun to realize that it was true, and it was barely ten minutes into the sparring match that he had come to respect the Princesses and how they kept the delicate balance.

Of course, the fact that she was quite lovely didn't hurt the fact that he was enjoying his time with her.

__

Under the arch of the light 

I gazed into your eyes

The distant seasons

"Stars."

"Excuse me?" he asked the tall Jovian, giving her a blank stare.

She flashed him a quick grin, and he couldn't help but smile back at her in return, caught in her charisma.

"You are rumored to like stars," she clarified, opening a large door that led into what seemed to be a darkened room. "Are the rumors true?"

"Ah," he nodded. "Yes, the stars are my Guides."

She whipped her head around to look at him, obviously startled. He blinked in shock as he realized that she had recognized the word, and wondered where she had heard it before.

"Guides," she repeated, a surprised smile lighting her face. "I wasn't aware that Earthlings had Guides."

"Most don't," he admitted. "I've always been a special case, or so they tell me."

"Who tells you?" she asked. "The stars themselves?"

"Yes," he nodded, smiling fondly. "They are quite mysterious, to the point of frustration, but I've learned to understand the more I talked with them."

She nodded in understanding, "All of the Senshi have Guides."

"Really?" 

It was his turn to be shocked. He had grown up on a world where there wasn't another person who had a Guide like he did. And here he found that there were at least four people who knew what it was like to grow up knowing things that others did not.

"Yes. Our elements speak to us sometimes, and Guide us in battle. It happens to the Outers more than it happens to us when we're detransformed, for they have greater powers, and therefore a greater connection," she explained. "And Mars, because she has more spiritual powers."

"Greater powers?" he repeated, again surprised.

These women were powerful enough, and the Generals were hard pressed to match them, but if what Princess Jupiter was saying was true, then there were four Senshi out there who were better than they.

"Yes. Senshi Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto," she said, walking into the middle of the room. "The first three guard the galaxy from intruders, and Pluto guards the Gates of Time."

If he squinted, he could make out the shape of a large computer console. Its large size became more prominent when his eyes adjusted to the darkness.

"What is this room?" he asked, glancing up and seeing an arching ceiling.

She turned her head to him and flashed another grin before she went back to typing something on the console.

"The Moon Kingdom's observatory," she answered simply.

__

Suddenly you appear 

within the corner of my heart

I have to stop and stand still

He smiled briefly at her as she took out more ingredients from the large cooler and placed them on the long counter. She had surprised him this morning when she asked him to come help her cook for the farewell ball the Queen was throwing tonight in honor of the Earthlings. It wasn't the first time she had thrown him off balance, and he found himself hoping that this wouldn't be the last.

"I've never met royalty that wanted to cook before," he remarked to her as he surveyed the kitchen, keeping an eye on the cake that was already baking in the oven.

She paused in gathering the food and stuck out her tongue at him in a friendly manner, "That was Earth, this is not."

"True," he then grinned as he scooped up a handful of flour. "But on Earth, when someone sticks out their tongue at someone, that's being rude."

"Really?" she snorted, rolling her eyes. "I hadn't the slightest idea."

She then squawked in surprise as the flour hit her on her squarely on her shoulder, showering her dress and apron with white powder. She tried in vain to brush off the offending flakes without staining the dress even more, but finally gave up for a much more gleeful task. She eyed Lord Nephrite, who was laughing uncontrollably at the look that had been on her face, and then smiled wickedly as she caught sight of the yolk of the eggs that she had purposely left out from her pastries.

"That," she snickered, taking careful aim. "Was a **_big_** mistake."

He recoiled instinctively as the yellow glob hit him full on, dripping in his long auburn hair. Pushed beyond the decisive point, he snatched up a bottle of chocolate syrup, and advanced on his foe.

__

The shining starlight rain, 

looking at me

Even the lonely nights are fitting for me, 

look, so you can change

She heard someone coming down the path to the gardens, and banished the sadness from her thoughts as she turned to see who it was. She knew that if it were someone other than the one she would be meeting here, she would be in a lot of trouble.

"Nephrite," she sighed in relief. "You startled me."

He smiled at her - it was strange how just one look from him could make her feel so...so...elated, but it did, and she was glad for it - and walked up to her silently. She almost melted into his arms, smiling softly and closing her eyes as she felt his arms encircle her in return.

"How are things?" he asked her, his voice low and soothing.

She sighed, this time in weariness, answering truthfully, "Tense."

"Here as well," he murmured. "The threat of the Dark Queen is too near to ignore, yet too damn far to take action."

She nodded in understanding, "All we can do is wait for the enemy to strike first...always a disadvantage."

He closed his chocolate brown eyes, and then opened them again, a content smile coming onto his face as he planted a light kiss on her lips.

"Being with you makes me forget everything..."

"I know what you mean," she whispered, closing her eyes as he kissed her again. "I just don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing-"

"Shh," he stopped her by placing a finger on her lips, and hugged her tightly. "Let's just ignore everything else. We have each other, and right now, that's all that matters."

Releasing her from his embrace, he retrieved something from his pocket at presented it to her with a flourish.

She gasped slightly, the moonlight catching the glint of the tiny gifts enticingly. The earrings were extremely well carved, the rose a perfect shade of pink, and every petal formed to perfection, framed by delicate green leaves.

"They're beautiful," she whispered.

He smiled in delight, and watched as she immediately put them on. His smile faded when hers did, and he wondered what was wrong.

"Neph?" she asked, in a frightened tone.

His brow furrowed with worry as he asked, "What is it Mako?"

"What do the stars tell you about the pending war?" she inquired, her green eyes wide with fear of what could happen.

He closed his eyes, and reached out with his senses, 'hearing' the constant song of the stars. It took him a few moments to interpret their meaning, but he did.

"They say that it's not for me to know," he told her.

"Doesn't that hurt you?" her question surprised him, as she always did.

He took her hand, and kissed her palm, replying honestly, "No. Not when you're here with me. When I am with you, you are my guide, you are my Starlight."

__

The wondrous moonlight rain, 

falling down on my back

Rushing out into the rain, 

dazzling, waiting for the time

Her eyes were clouded with anger, but the same anger fueled her as she pushed the hurt into a far corner of her mind and charged once more at her foe. He met her blow for blow, as she knew he would, as he always had, but this time, the battle was real, not just a friendly spar.

He narrowed his cold brown eyes, concentrating on the stars briefly before focusing wholly on the fight. It was very strange, but the stars had refused to give him an answer when he asked how he would defeat this Senshi Jupiter.

"Die," she growled, lunging at him with abandon, foregoing all defenses.

He met her reckless charge with a smirk, confident that he could easily overpower her. He was wrong, and found himself being pushed back, even as he strained with all his strength. Mentally hitting himself for overlooking the fact that she was Jovian, and therefore stronger than even him, he let himself fall to the ground suddenly, using the ground and her momentum as leverage to throw her over his head.

He immediately got up, just in time to see her flip to her feet easily with no trouble at all.

He scowled.

In response, her gaze turned colder, if possible.

There was a moment of inaction, and they both charged.

__

That glance of yours, 

not giving in to the winds 

of a selfish future

I will not forget it

She hissed quietly in pain as she shifted on the ground, uncomfortable. Her arm was broken, no doubt about that, and one of her legs was fractured, at the very least. Bruises lined her body, and an impressive cut marked its way down her cheek to her jaw. As she lay on the ground, lips dried and cracking with blood, her only satisfaction came with the fact that her opponent had just as many injuries as she did, if not more.

Jovian strength was not to be messed with, she smiled proudly before wincing as a sharp pain shot through her torso; perhaps a broken rib.

A muffled groan of pain came from General Nephrite, and she forced herself to ignore him, reminding her worried nurturing instincts that it was **_she_** who had given him those injuries in the first place.

That thought brought unbidden tears to her eyes, and she turned away, not wanting him to see and declare her a weakling. She tore her mind away from her painful past, and thought of the others; she wondered if they had to face their counterparts as well.

_*Bitch,*_ she growled inwardly, thinking of Beryl. _*She did this on purpose.*_

It was a given that the traitorous snake would use the Inner Senshi's only well known weaknesses against them. She coughed, and watched with morbid fascination and detachment as blood bubbled out of her mouth.

_*Add internal bleeding to that list,*_ she noted of her injuries.

One glance at her enemy showed that he was watching the slow Earthrise, a look of awe on his bloodied and bruised face.

It was the injuries on his face - the ones cause by her - which told her mind that this was the enemy, Dark Kingdom General Nephrite, and not her Neph.

Never again, she realized sadly, would he ever be her Neph, so she wearily closed her eyes and silently welcomed death.

__

That moment when I 

thought so strongly of someone

Will someday give me strength

He growled in annoyance as his vision was obstructed for moment. That moment turned out to be costly as he looked up, just in time to see a large bolt of lightning shoot at him in speeds impossible to dodge.

As the newfound Senshi's attack rushed towards him, promising his death, another type of electricity arched through him filling his mind with memories he never knew existed. He saw flashes of courtly balls on Earth which had bored him and his companions so much, the flirting of the stuffy noble women that he had always frowned upon; he recalled his Prince's favorite foods and pastimes, the quirks of his three best friends which had made them so unique...

__

The shining starlight rain, 

looking at me

My smile, and my voice, look, 

will become more beautiful 

than yesterday

...that fateful trip to the moon, when he had met the Princess of Jupiter, someone whom he admired not just as a woman or a Princess, but as a warrior, and a person. He saw clearly in his mind's eye the way she had smiled brightly at him, eyes twinkling with love. The way she had loved to cook up a storm, a quality he had never thought he would ever find in a Princess, but he had, and she had been the best cook he had the pleasure of meeting. The way she had fought, the way she had loved to climb trees, and how she would be content, just to spend time looking at the stars with him.

__

The wondrous moonlight rain, 

falling down on my back

I feel that the real thing 

will finally begin

His eyes widened as he returned to reality and heard the shrill warnings of the stars before he actually saw the attack relentlessly bearing down on him.

_*Mako,*_ he thought as the pain lanced through his body as it freed his soul. _*You shine brighter than any star.*_

__

//...my Starlight...\\

__

The shining starlight rain, 

looking at me

Even the lonely nights 

are fitting for me, 

look, so you can change

She saw the lightning bolt hit him, and felt a swell of satisfaction that she had destroyed the evil one who dared play with innocent girl's hearts.

However, the moment passed, and she caught a glimpse of anguish and...love...as he looked straight at her, plain old Makoto, and something in her snapped in response.

Images rushed through her, overwhelming her and making her fall to her knees. The identity of the one whom she had just killed came flooding back to her, and as her new allies surrounded her, she felt tears of regret and heart wrenching distress well up.

Vaguely, she heard her friends as they called her name, worried about why she had suddenly collapsed like that. She groped in her mind for something to reassure their fears with, and told them the story of her old boyfriend, even as she came to terms with what her memories were telling her.

__

The wondrous moonlight rain, 

falling down on my back

Rushing out into the rain, 

dazzling, waiting for the time

Makoto closed her eyes and sighed. She recalled what she had told her new friends a few hours ago...about how she knew there was something more important here in Juuban than love.

She knew that it still held true, by coming to Juuban, she not only found her destiny, she had discovered a love truer than that of her old sempai.

_*Nephrite,*_ she smiled slightly as she opened her eyes and looked up at the night sky. _*You always told me that the stars know everything. Did they know that this would happen? Did you?*_

One hand reached up to delicately brush her ever-present rose earrings, and her small smile blossomed into a full blown, although teary, grin.

"It doesn't matter," she said to the stars. "Even if we lost each other in the end...at least we were happy and had each other, if only for a short while. We had each other."

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A.N: The song is a translated version of 'Starlight ni Kisu Shite', Makoto's image song.

~~~~~Jade Hunter~~~~~


	5. Ami's Song

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Title: Heart's Songs - Ami's Song

Author: Jade Hunter

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Disclaimer: The song and the characters in this story do not belong to me.

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She stood in front of a large, majestic fountain, silver in color, like most of the structures on the Moon. The water was icy; she could feel the cold calling out to her. Dipping one slender hand into the water, she shivered - not from the coolness of the water, because that could never happen with what her element was, but from regret.

A few hours ago, the Prince of Earth, Endymion, had arrived with his four Generals for their short stay in the Moon Kingdom. The Queen had left them alone after introductions, and Princess Serenity had dragged the Prince off to spend quality time alone, finally able to show him her home. Venus had left with the First General Kunzite shortly thereafter, the two of them being already familiar with each other. The Second General, Jadeite, had taken her by surprise by speaking to Mars, whom had also surprised her by answering pleasantly instead of ignoring him as Mercury had fully expected her to. And after they had moved on, Jupiter had challenged Nephrite to a fight, and she had been left with the General Zoicite.

She had found out beforehand from rumors that he was of the intelligent sort, and had offered - after much debating with herself - to show him the Palace library. To her immense relief, he had agreed, and they had read books until a servant came to inform them that it was suppertime.

What had been embarrassing was that she had been compelled to look at him as he read, and had done so - frequently. It was something to think over, and she had mulled over it during supper and after, when everyone went his or her own ways. She had thought about it for a while, and had to wonder...

...was this what Minako would call a crush?

__

Since recently, 

you've been in low spirits

Standing still on the hill road of the wind

He saw her, just standing there with one hand in the water, and marveled at the fact that the hand hadn't gone numb yet.

Then he kicked himself as he remembered that she was the Senshi of Ice, and so of course, she would be able to stand extreme cold.

Sighing inwardly at his own stupidity, he returned to watching her. She seemed to be disturbed about something, and he wondered what it was. His friends had always told him that he was too curious for his own good, and it had been proven true - many times, in fact.

And as he stood there, watching her, he came to a quite startling realization.

"She looks..." dare he say it? "...lonely."

The conclusion left him floundering, and he stewed over that for a while more. He stood straighter automatically when she withdrew her hand from the waters, and headed over in his general direction, head bowed to look at the ground.

Only one question remained.

_*Should I?*_

__

Always, 

without saying anything

I am worried, 

and I become sad

Squaring his shoulders in determination, he purposefully stepped in her path, and grinned inwardly when they collided. She, being petite, was thrown back violently, but he stopped her near-spill by reaching out and steadying her. She looked up at him with those wide, blue eyes of hers, and he felt himself smile gently in response.

She smiled back, more hesitantly, and said in a rushed voice, "I apologize profusely for bumping into you like that General-"

"No, it was entirely my fault," he admitted, as always unable to lie. "I must confess, I stepped into your path on purpose, Princess."

She looked half-surprised and half-wary, "Oh?"

"Yes," he grinned at her as his tone became serious. "I saw you here, you see, and thought to my self that a beautiful girl like you shouldn't be standing all by herself."

He was rewarded with a full blush, and a ducking of the head. It seemed to be a habit of hers, and he vowed to learn all of her quirks.

__

Lean on my shoulders just a little

It isn't a loss to be weak with me

*She was a hard shell to crack,* he thought as he smiled fondly at the blue-haired Senshi walking beside him.

And it was true. It had taken him hours just to convince her to have a chess match with him in the library and days before she had revealed a genuine smile in his presence. However, his persistence had paid off, she had smiled sincerely with him around, and she was going to play chess with him. The shell had been a tough one, but in the end, it had cracked.

"Are you sure you want to play?" she asked worriedly again, much to his exasperation.

He shook his head slightly and exclaimed, "Of course, why not?"

"Well, General," she spoke carefully, and he reminded himself to tell her to call him Zoicite. "It's just that...not many people like me after we play chess."

He raised one eyebrow with a grin, "And why is that?"

She fidgeted slightly, ducked her head - of course - and mumbled, "Well, I suppose it's because I win."

"Because you..." he broke in laughter, and shook his head again. A short glance at her now outraged face sent him into hysterics again, and he had a hard time getting his next words out, "I apologize, Princess, but...you...it sounds so..."

She blinked, tilted her head slightly, and then ran over what she had said in her head. Her expression turned from angry to embarrassed in a nano-second, and soon she joined him in helpless mirth.

__

Whatever there is, 

whatever there is

Trying to come between us, 

if we're together, 

it will be all right

Her eyes blazed with intensity as she confidently made her move; chess was one element in which she was totally sure of herself. Of course, this General Zoisite was no beginner; in fact, he was giving her the challenge of her lifetime. It was amazing that she was finding in an Earthling the intellectual equal she had only found in some of her fellow Mercurians. She wondered if there were more like this General, and as she studied his counter move, seriously doubted it.

Still, he was an Earthling, and she was a Mercurian, not only that, but she was the smartest individual in the Queen's entire kingdom. There was no way she could loose to a simple, although brilliant, man from a backwater planet who's people still warred with each other!

She looked up slowly to gauge her opponent, and looked up into caring green eyes, sparkling with an intensity which both terrified and excited her at the same time. Quickly looking down at the chessboard, she bit her lower lip and let her fingers hesitate briefly over the chess pieces. Finally, the path was made clear to her, and she found a weakness in his almost perfect defense. 

"Checkmate," she smiled. "It seems as though I have won this game, General Zoisite."

"You've won more than that," he murmured, a warm twinkle in his amazing green eyes. "You've also won my heart."

With that, he disappeared in a slight flurry of wind and petals, leaving her light-headed and blushing up to her roots.

__

Just like this, 

just like this

Sharing the same tears with each other, 

never go away from me

Stay like we are now forever

"Was there something you needed to speak to me about, Princess?" he asked cautiously.

After his impromptu confession, the Princess Mercury had avoided him like the plague. Her face would color as soon as he was within sight, and she would run the other way. He had found this heartbreaking and not a little bruising to his ego, but had accepted it, because he knew she needed time. 

However, it didn't help that the other Princesses seemed to somehow know of his confession. They exchanged sly glances when he was about, and Princess Venus caught his eye every time she had the chance and smiled knowingly at him as she glanced pointedly at Princess Mercury. Princess Jupiter would always elbow Princess Mercury whenever she caught him staring at the shy Mercurian royal. Princess Mars was the least enthusiastic, merely raising a brow and smirking slightly when she saw him. Princess Serenity seemed to be the most intent on 'helping' him, as he was sure she saw it as, even going as far as to pull him aside for a little 'pep' talk.

All this, and the light teasing he received from his fellow Generals and even from Endymion, added up to a decidedly embarrassed and jumpy Fourth General Zoisite.

Princess Mercury blushed heavily, but didn't run this time, much to his relief, and played with the hem of one of her sleeves as she opened her mouth to speak. She seemed to loose courage, and snapped her mouth shut, looking ready to bolt, until he lightly lay a hand on her elbow. She glanced up into his eyes quickly, and then smiled slightly.

"I...I love you, too, Zoi," she admitted, and ducked her head in shyness, which he found irresistibly charming, as always.

He suddenly felt as if a large burden had lifted from his shoulders. He felt the grin spreading across his face, and knew that it had to be less charming and more...goofy. But he didn't care. Because she loved him, and he loved her, and nothing else mattered, not right now.

__

It was so cramped, 

in the instant picture box, 

the two of us made lots of noise

"What do you think the odds are for us winning this fight?"

Her question startled him, but he was quick to recover as he answered, "I don't know. I'd say there's a good chance on the Dark Queen winning, but I wouldn't put us complete out of the running."

Her eyes closed, and she sighed, leaning into his embrace. He held her tighter, knowing that she was tired - everyone was tired these days, emotionally and physically. He knew that they and the others were lucky to have each other to share the burdens with, to spend time relaxing together like this, even if it was in secret.

"I've run simulation after simulation..." her anxious voice trailed off, and he squeezed her hand lightly, encouraging her to continue, "...the results...they aren't very encouraging, Zoi."

"I know," he nodded slightly. "I've done the same, and the possibility that we could lose...it's there. But it's always been there, and everyone knows it."

"That's bad for morale, Zoi," she sighed dryly.

He smiled; the weight of his responsibilities were always less when he was with her, "I don't know. I think people thrive on pressure and bad odds...well, some anyway."

"Adaptation?" she murmured, not really meaning it as a question but wording it like one.

He knew this, but nodded anyway, and grinned, "That, and pure pig-headed stubbornness."

"Not all of us are like you, Zoi," she teased, the smile that crept slowly onto her features saying wordlessly that she couldn't resist the opportunity to jab at him.

"Are you this merciless to all your friends?" he mocked, chuckling.

She shook her head slightly, giggling, "No, only to you, you're special."

"I know," he smirked.

She turned slightly to regard him for a long moment, "I didn't say that was a good thing."

He sighed, and hung his head, letting his forehead rest on her shoulder, "I can never win, right?"

His only answer was a small, but triumphant laugh.

__

Closing my eyes, 

seeing the faces in the photo

Every time we argue, 

it makes me able to smile

"A pleasure to meet you, Senshi of Mercury."

She shuddered slightly as she tensed; that familiar voice was not filled with the warmth and love she knew. Instead, the tone was mocking, taunting, and scornful, a direct contradiction to the polite words spoken.

"I am Dark General Zoicite." He paused for dramatic effect, his green eyes sneering at her. "I am your doom."

Well, he certainly was correct about that. She silently cursed herself for her past foolishness. If only she had never fallen in love with him so deeply. If only she had been able to ignore his charms. If only the Earthlings had never visited. If only the blockade to Earth hadn't been lifted.

So many 'ifs...

He was glaring at her in confusion. He had made his little announcement, and now it was her turn to parry. She was glad that this skirmish was with words, not blades or attacks, but this was only a battle in a long war. No doubt, it would come to physical blows towards the end.

"Many have said so before," she murmured coolly, her tone condescending. "And yet...I am still here."

He hissed in anger, "I am not like them. I am more than they were. I am better."

She nodded slowly, patronizingly, "...Of course."

Growling in anger, he summoned up a ball of Dark energy, drawing back his fist to throw it at her. She immediately summoned up a gale of dense fog to cloud his way as she jumped back from his throwing range.

A string of curses came from somewhere inside the fog, and she pressed the button that would release her visor. The blue glass, more durable than even steel, appeared over her eyes. It spouted off a list of statistics and the location of bodies in a mile radius from her position. She didn't need that wide range, and shrunk the program to locate the concentrated amount of Dark energy that Zoicite now had in him.

Beeps signified compliance, and another announced its success. An outline of his form was traced on the visor, and she carefully and silently drew her hands back. A whispered command shot off a torrent of icy water with the striking potency of a battering ram.

His cry of pain and then a crackle of Dark lightning were her answer. She bit her lip as she fought off the effects of the lightning, and narrowed her eyes.

Time for the physical aspect of the war.

This was the first time in her entire life that she hated the fact that she was right.

__

When I am alone, 

If trying to get through it

Is the only solution, 

it is so lonely

She was cold.

It would have been impossible, but she was wounded badly, and this was not the cold of ice; the cold that had its hands wrapped around her now was the cold of death.

"Are you afraid of death?"

Even when he was at the brink of death, like she was, he still loved the ask questions. She was glad for that...but she was also angered by it. Why did this evil one, who worked for the enemy and wore her love's face, have to be so similar and yet so different? Why?

"No." 

She kept her answers short and her tone filled with biting ice.

"Why not?"

She pursed her lips in annoyance. Would this foul creature never cease?

"Why should I be?"

He grunted in pain, and then asked, "Don't you like life?"

"Yes."

"Then why aren't you afraid to die?"

She huffed in impatience. This was tearing at her. She hated him more than ever now, for asking these questions and acting like the Zoicite that she loved rather than the Zoicite that had given her these same death wounds.

"I had a good life."

He smirked, and then fell silent. A glance at him showed that he was preoccupied with staring up at the sky. She followed his gaze, and found herself staring at the Earthrise from the dark horizon. 

She felt a stab of agony in her heart. She had always loved the Earthrise more than the sunrise, because the Earth, being a planet, had more color, more breathtaking qualities. Now, this was to be her last rise.

She regretted that.

Another to add to her list to past regrets, then.

His voice, quiet and subdued, broke the silence, "Do you have any regrets?"

She almost laughed at the irony, but simply replied, "Of course."

"Then why do you say you had a good life?"

She fell silent for a moment, contemplating the question, and looked into his curious green eyes.

She smiled, and opened her mouth to answer.

The warmth of life fled before she had a chance.

__

Whatever place, 

whatever place

It seems we can fall in love, 

if we're together, 

it will be all right

He heard a delicate voice, crying out the names of the Sailor Senshi, and wondered whom it belonged to. Simple process of elimination led him to believe that the one Senshi who wasn't here, the Mercury girl, was the one asking what was going on.

Mercury...

Something about her tugged at the back of his mind, but he brushed it back with not a small amount of annoyance. He was just about to defeat the Sailor Senshi, there was no time for distractions. One small mistake and they would get away, and he would be rotting corpses like Jadeite and Nephrite. The names of his deceased comrades evoked rage in him, and he prepared to attack again, when something sharp tore into him.

He cried out in pain as he searched for the source of the new attack, but was blinded as images rushed from the back of his mind, taking advantage of this moment of weakness. He almost cried out again as the memories assaulted him, taking no prisoners as they relentlessly attacked him.

_*Mercury...*_ he remembered, his face contorting with agony.

_//"...A beautiful girl like you shouldn't be standing all by herself."\\_

He hissed, and time seemed to slow to a crawl.

Whatever there is, 

whatever there is

Trying to come between us, 

if we're together, 

it will be all right

He felt the attack pierce him again, this time from behind, and another cry of pain erupted involuntarily from his lips.

__

//"I...I love you, too, Zoi," she admitted, and ducked her head in shyness, which he found irresistibly charming, as always.\\

*Ami...*

Time returned to normal, and the weapon - a boomerang, he saw as it headed back to its owner - tore him apart with no mercy. He succumbed into oblivion, feeling remorse, and thinking that he deserved worse than this.

*****

She bit her lip painfully, tilting her head as if it would make a difference in the outcome of the fight. It tore up her heart as she heard the pain-filled cries of her friends, and she wished she were there to help them defeat the Dark General.

Suddenly, the confident voice of General Zoicite rose in a painfilled scream, which made her involuntarily wince. Something in her wanted to help him, and she mentally scolded herself for her foolishness and desire to help an enemy.

__

//Caring green eyes, sparkling with an intensity which both terrified and excited her at the same time...\\

*What is this?*

Just like this, 

just like this

Giving the same smiles to each other, 

never change from this

Stay like we are now forever

Clutching her head, she stubbornly tried to expel these new images from her mind. She was succeeding, when he screamed again, this time louder, and she knew he had met his end, for his scream was cut off short.

She heard Sailor Moon, Mars, and Jupiter gasp aloud in surprise, not pain, and called out their names, silently asking for information on what was going on. The screen in front of her went a little nuts, showing a new energy signal exactly like the other Senshi, except in a bright orange color.

["...Sailor V..."] she heard Sailor Moon say through the headphones.

Part of her, the logical part, was in awe of the mysterious super heroine vigilante, while the other part of her was mentally crying out in agony. Something had broken down in her mind as the late Zoicite's screams were cut short, and she cut off a whimper of pain as the memories of her Silver Millennium love bombarded her.

__

Whatever place, 

whatever place

It seems we can fall in love, 

if we're together, 

it will be all right

She remembered.

Remembered the way he smiled at her, in his gentle and understanding way. Remembered the reddish blonde curls that he insisted on pulling back into the ponytail simply because he was too lazy and too irritable to do anything about something as plain as hair. Remembered the charming way he avoided the courtesans, and always somehow managed to make her laugh. Remembered the way he had confessed his feelings for her, in a rather debonair and surprising fashion, if she did say so herself.

Those were good memories, but there were also some that she was not as fond of.

There was the memory from when she first found out that he was working for Beryl and Metallia. When she saw the leading edge of the youma army. When she caught a glimpse of his gray uniform, so uncomplimentary to the memory of him. When he had opened his mouth and his mocking words had spilled out. When he had attacked her. When she had attacked him. When they had struck blow after blow, finally wounding each other to the point of collapse.

Then there were a few that confused her.

He had asked her lots of - annoying, then and now that she thought back on it - questions. Annoying, because the questions served no purpose she could see; it seemed like he was just passing time by with meaningless chatter. And wasted time was something she had never liked, in any life, she was sure.

However, perhaps he had asked her all those questions because he himself was afraid. Whether it was afraid of dying, or afraid of leaving life with many regrets, she was sure of.

What she knew, however, was that the Zoi she had loved, the Zoi she did love, was never satisfied unless he got answers for his many questions. And she remembered never getting a chance to give him her answer for his last, final question.

Therefore, maybe for the memory of the old Zoi, she thought of the answer she had been about to give before her death.

"Just because I regret the way some things turned out, it doesn't mean that I wish the situations had never happened."

The wind received her answer, and privately, she hoped that they would carry the message to the one she had meant it for.

She smiled, if somewhat sadly, "I had a good life."

As she nodded slowly to herself and went back to her normal life, she inwardly wished peace for the souls of the Generals of Endymion, wherever they were.

#########################################################

~~~~~Jade Hunter~~~~~

****

A.N: The song in this story is the translated version of Ami's image song 'Onaji Namida wo Wakeatte'.


	6. Closing Scene

****

Title: Heart's Songs - Closing Scene

****

Author: Jade Hunter

****

Disclaimer: None of the songs or characters I used in this series belongs to me.

****

A.N: Thanks for sticking with me throughout this little project of mine. ^_^

############################################################

The camera is in space, and the screen shows millions of stars and large round shapes that seem to be the planets, which are left behind as the camera zooms in towards one particular planet, the Earth. The screen shows flying mists of different colors as the camera moves through the atmosphere, and heads towards the small islands of Japan. Specifically, to the district of Juuban.

__

The light of the sunset spreads,

coloring your profile

Oh sky, don't lose

those enchanting colors

Everything becomes blurry as the camera moves with a single-minded purpose, stopping in front of the Aino home, in front of Minako's window, where we can see Artemis lounging on the bed, in the middle of a catnap. The camera moves for a better angle, and we are able to see Minako, who is sitting in front of her vanity in orange pajamas decorated with yellow hearts, brushing her hair.

__

I guess everything fades

and changes with time

You to, will wave "bye"

as you walk on.

The camera moves on after a moment, making everything blurry again. This time, we recognize the Hikawa Jinja. The camera pans out, showing the beauty of the temple, before zooming into Rei's bedroom. Rei is awake, her blanket drawn over her knees, sitting up in a fetal position, gazing into space absentmindedly.

__

But there are some things that don't ever change,

that can't ever be put into words:

the feelings that fill your heart.

One more, the camera rushes through the city, and then makes it's third stop at a small apartment. It pans to the side of the building facing the mountains, revealing rows of balconies. A certain balcony captures the camera's attention, and it zooms in to show Makoto, a fuzzy green robe wrapped around her, protecting her from the night chill. She is looking up at the stars, an intense look of wistfulness crossing her face.

__

Pain, come now,

become an eternal wind.

The camera moves away from the apartment building and heads off into the night. It stops in front of a large window with blue draperies. There is a slight crack between the curtains, and the camera pans in as close as it can get, and zooms in on the figure inside. The person turns out to be Ami, working diligently on her computer, even at this late hour. However, the expression on her face is not of concentration, but one of deep sadness.

__

Keep blowing,

to wrap around your stooped-over shoulders.

I am always watching you

Even if

you're in a far off place.

Flash to Minako, looking at her reflection in the mirror, her face getting increasingly solemn by the minute.

__

If we are reborn,

I will be born as myself.

Then I will find you,

once again...

Fade in to Rei, who props her head on her knees and sighs deeply before turning her head despondently to look out her window.

__

Even though all things that have a shape

have limits,

I want to tell you that there are some things

that never fade.

Move in to Makoto, still standing on her balcony; she shifts uncomfortably for a few minutes, but visibly relaxes as she touches something on her ears even as tears slowly well up in her eyes.

__

Just because you were nearby

That alone enabled me

to walk even this steep a road.

Pan in on Ami as her typing slows to a crawl, and then stops as her shoulders slump. She turns her head slightly to look at something, and the camera follows her line of sight to reveal a chess set.

__

Loneliness, come now,

become an eternal wind. 

The screen is suddenly filled with light, and the next scene is that of the four Generals, smiling and laughing as they joke around with each other. Someone seems to call out, for all of them turn to the right, their smiles more awed than anything else. The four Inner Senshi run on screen, their faces filled with joy as each run to their respectful partners with enthusiasm.

__

From now on, keep blowing,

pushing at your back as you walk alone.

I want to save you with love unseen

Until we meet again someday.

The screen becomes clouded over with dark mist, and we can see two glowing eyes burning with evil. When the dark mist moves away, we see a tragically different scene than before. The four Generals are now clad in dull gray, and their eyes are filled with malice as they eye the camera with hatred. The camera pans around to see from the Dark Kingdom Generals' point of view, and we see that they weren't glaring at the camera in hatred, they were glaring at the four Inner Senshi, all of whom look a bit wary and angry with hurt shining in their eyes.

__

Now, unchanging things are nothing but

continually glittering emotions

that have gone unspoken.

Fade in to the four Inner Senshi, trailing behind Usagi and Mamoru as the two lovebirds hold hands and whisper to each other. Occasionally, one of the Inners looks up at them and smiles faintly, but they soon regain their lost looks and exchange sad sighs.

__

Pain, come now,

become an eternal wind.

The four Inners sit quietly on the steps of the Hikawa Jinja, all looking very somber and serious. The mood is broken when Minako squares her shoulders and says something to them in a determined fashion - standing upright, one arm thrown high up with her traditional 'V for Victory' sign and a blinding grin. They all stare at her for a moment as a large sweatdrop slides down the back of Minako's head. Then Rei breaks out into quiet but sincere laughter, which triggers a boisterous response from Makoto, and finally, Ami breaks out into laughter herself. The camera focuses on each of their smiling faces for a moment and then pans up to catch the glint of the sun.

__

Keep blowing,

to wrap around your stooped-over shoulders.

I am always watching you

Even if

you're in a far off place. 

The camera pans down, away from the sun, and then catches the light reflecting of a looming structure in the background which blurs a bit as the camera focuses on nothing in particular. In a bold, golden script, as if someone is actually writing on the screen, letters appear in an elegant scrawl.

Heart's Songs *Closing Scene* "Eternal Wind"

And in tiny letters, on the bottom of the large message, small block writing appears.

_Thanks for sticking with us this far. Bye-bye!_

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~~~~~Jade Hunter~~~~~


End file.
